Sri Lanka: New emergency regulation creates high security zone

On 30 May, the President promulgated a new emergency regulation to create a “High Security Zone” in the Northern district of Trincomalee. Under the new regulation, no person is permitted to enter the zone without written authority. On 18 July, the Supreme Court rejected a fundamental rights petition by the Centre for Policy Alternatives, a Sri Lankan NGO, challenging the creation of the zone on grounds of discrimination and freedom of movement.